Politics, voting, democracy… I’m sure you’re all sick of reading everyone’s opinions on Brexit.
Yesterday I had the day off for Caden’s sports day. I was faffing about, deciding which t-shirt to wear, when Caden said, ‘Can you wear the “don’t think, everything’s fine” one?’

This all started as a way to get out of bed in the morning. If you’re like me and struggle to wake of a morning, the trick is to NOT THINK. Just get up and clean your teeth and get in the shower, by which time you’ve woken up and no longer jonesing for the snooze button. My morning mantra became ‘Don’t think. Everything’s Fine.’ It worked so well I had it printed onto a t-shirt from one of these custom web places.

I happened to be wearing the t-shirt at a Xykogen recording session where I was recording vocals from the lovely Mark Eris performing his brilliant lyrics satirising Cameron, Boris and the Bullingdon Club, but it didn’t have a chorus. I just pointed to my t-shirt whilst recording the take and Eris perfectly delivered the line, and it became the Xykogen song Xembala. The music is largely made up of scraps of music written by the legendary Lee Chaos that I stitched together with a live bongo take from Amon Zero. Last year I filmed some footage during one of my lunchtime walks around the city, and Mog Warbeast filmed Mark doing vocals in a shed. This is that video. It’s political. It doesn’t say anything about the European Union (formerly known as the EEC).

Disclaimer: The man telling people not to vote at the started of the video does not necessarily represent the view of anyone involved in the making of this song.

“There’s that terrible adage that the torturer’s greatest act is to make the victim go on torturing himself after he gets up off the rack. But there’s a flip side to that, the ecstatic, positive version of it: that the artist’s greatest act is to leave you making your own art after the fact. You come away with your own wheels spinning. That’s what Orson Welles does to you.” – F X Feeney

Hours before Orson Welles died on 10th October 1985, he appeared one last time on the Merv Griffin Show and Griffin asked him. “Were there certain parts of your life that were really joyous?” Welles paused for a moment and replied, “Oh, yes. There are certain parts of every day that are joyous… I’m not essentially a happy person, but I have all kinds of joy. There’s a difference, you know, because joy is a great big electrical experience. And just happiness is, what, I don’t know. A warthog can be happy.”

LESTER: Tell me, Dr. Schwartz, what do you feel you can bring to LesterCorp?
CRAIG: Well, sir, I’m an excellent filer.
LESTER (crafty): You think so, eh? Which comes first, L or… Glooph?
CRAIG: Glooph is not a letter, sir.
LESTER: Damn, you are good. I tried to trick you. Okay, put these in order.

LESTER (flips intercom switch): Floris, get Guinness on the phone.
FLORIS (O.S.): Gehginnis ondah foam?
LESTER: Forget it.
FLORIS (CONT’D): Fork ah did?
LESTER (flips off switch): Fine woman, Floris. I don’t know how she puts up with this damn speech impediment of mine.
CRAIG: You don’t have a speech impediment, Dr. Lester.
LESTER: Flattery will get you everywhere, my boy. But I’m afraid I have to trust Floris on this one. You see, she has her doctorate in speech impedimentology from Case Western. Perhaps you’ve read her memoirs, “I can’t understand a word any of you are saying.”
CRAIG: No.
LESTER: Pity, it tells it like it is. That’s why the eastern, read Jewish, publishing establishment won’t touch it. That’s a quote from the book jacket. George Will, I think.
(beat) I apologize if you can’t understand a word I’m saying, Dr. Schwartz.
CRAIG: No. I understand perfectly.
LESTER (choking up): Thank you for being kind enough to lie. You see, I’ve been very lonely in my isolated tower of indecipherable speech. You’re hired. Any questions?

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(from Being John Malkovich, written by Charlie Kaufman)

With the planet due to be consumed by fire at some point today, it’s maybe time to consider, where are the top five ideal places to witness the end of civilisation and all life on Earth?

5) City/Town/Village Celebration Points

What better place to celebrate the end of mankind and all mankind’s achievements than some state-prescribed public place for celebrating such momentous occasions as the arbitrary accumulation of 365 or 366 days every Jan 1st. (Caution may lack adequate bar/toilet facilities, pls check in advance.)

4) Local Pub

Friends, family, glorious random locals and bar staff that are better than any expensive psychotherapists… what could be better? Alas due to the alcohol policies of successive governments, pubs (public houses, a home from home for all members of the community, drinkers and non-drinkers alike to come together) have closed down, been turned into soulless restaurants / Tesco Metros.

3) In Bed with a Loved One

If you time it right, it could be the orgasm to end all orgasms. But, more than that, what ultimate way to celebrate the ultimate solitude of existence, than as merged as our physiology allows, with a loved one. Maybe forget the sex, get the family together and just hug and share love in your final moments. After all, “We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone.” – Orson Welles

2) Your Own Mind

Meditation, dreaming or quietly in the company of your own counsel. Let’s face it ‘hell is other people’ (Satre). Our experience of ourselves is always coloured by how we perceive others interpret us… are we but objects in the consciousness of others… and ultimately others are all rubbish and let you down. (And let’s face it you’re a bit flaky when it comes to it.) Your existence is only ever your personal reaction to an allegedly objective reality. Celebrate your personal experience of existence as objective reality is finally proven as it explodes in flames all around you.

1) Inside a bucket of water

Fed up with how the universe is always deciding your fate without consulting you? Take matters into your own hands by filling up a bucket of water, completely submerging your head, and inhaling deeply. The impending end of the world could finally give you the courage to take your destiny into your own hands. What price autonomy?

Joyful, yet scary times as my second solo electronica EP ‘Back to the Battlefield’ is now out into the world awaiting judgement. I’ve done all I can, it’s now over to you to bang it down your ear tunnels and see how your brain responds to it!

Click for Amazon:

It’s also available from iTunes, Spotify, Deezer etc.. as well as free download sites if you don’t believe in paying for music.

Nb: Second track, ‘My Fight Is Nearly Over’ is something I’ve been working on for a while, and early version of it sprouted a second head which evolved into SPUCKTUTE’s, ‘I Blame The Human League’.

My new EP, ‘Raelism: Back to the Battlefield’ is away to the distributors and will soon be available to hear… It’s the follow up to last year’s ‘Freedom Within the Prison’, which thankfully got some really lovely reviews.

eg.“In its entirety, the Freedom Within the Prison ‘s twists and turns are what make the thrill ever so special and engaging. Not knowing what to expect at any point just when you’ve thought you figured it out is something to appreciate in a time when music can sound so samey. Volting through 80’s synth electronica grassroots prove to be well under Rael’s forte.” – Ear Milk

“Like the great Mike Oldfield, the imagery he presents is unhindered by words playing their part or taking centre stage, Max Rael offers realism, the chance to impose your thoughts onto his music and although nothing ever really compares to Mike Oldfield, so nothing ever compares to Raelism… A superb E.P. an electronica love-in.” – Liverpool Sound and Vision

“as the music veers into slightly more adventuresome territory as the almost suspenseful dance inspired music shows off his more daring side as he demonstrates on Freedom Within The Prison that he is willing to take risks with his music.” – Listen Here

The words seemed new to me
But apparently they were all cliches
Fooling me by being loosely shaped like (a) truth
We hide
We hide bags
Bags of lies
We don’t even know we’re doing it

There never was any truth
Just a system of clever tricks
The world mocked our basest urges
We were sitting ducks
Patiently waiting for death

I was wearing the cloak of justice
Under a bridge
The bridge was protecting me
And you gave me a pint of milk
It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me

You had just got out of prison
Were going to see your family
And I was mad under a bridge, wearing a cloak of justice, and you came to see if I was ok
And you gave me a pint of milk
Milk
A pint of milk
Milk
Milk
A pint of milk

“I was watching a documentary on A&E last night about these guys who go whacko and shoot up the office where they work, and I was thinking they never mention the fact that one of the main causes is the fact that most people are bored with their job, and their bosses are petty tyrants, and they hate every hour they spend there. They never talk about that side. It’s always, ‘what’s wrong with their genes?'” – Robert Anton Wilson

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ST: Why have most people not been able to make it past six months with you?
BR: When you’re somewhat of a public figure, people think they know what you’re into, and they try to cater everything to that. And they can keep up that facade for six months, but after six months–almost to the day–they act like the complete opposite. It’s like what you see is what you get. I’m not going to change for anyone…Don’t date a guy who’s always drinking 24/7, then suddenly say ‘I think you drink too much’ after six months…It’s not too much if it helps you deal with the world. I’m not on Klonopin, you know? I’ve love to be on Klonopin.

ST: Why aren’t you then?
BR: I will be soon, after I’m married. I used to talk to John Balance of Coil, and early on, he said his situation with drinking and drugs is this Arthur Rimbaud-like detachment of the senses. And the last time I talked to him, he said, ‘Truthfully Boyd, I hate this world so much that if I weren’t drinking non-stop, I would not be able to deal with it.’ I thought, ‘Okay, I dig that.’
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